Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, EFSA's executive director, gave details of the risk assessor's current work before the EU Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety.

EFSA is a risk assessment agency for the bloc, providing scientific advice on food safety that provides the basis for decisions at the Commission and parliamentary levels.

EFSA's work is increasing at a rapid pace, as more tasks are assigned to it, Geslain-Lanéelle said.

Examining risk assessment methodologies for nanoparticles used in foodstuffs, and the animal welfare and safety aspects of foodstuffs derived from cloned animals, are part of the ongoing work.

EFSA's workload is increasing year on year while in parallel, the complexity and often the urgency of questions rises, she told committee members on 9 October in Brussels.

"As I look to the future we will face new challenges due to innovative technologies, international trade, climate change, increasingly sensitive detection methods and new emerging risks," she stated.

The organisation is also in the midst of assessing the risks of pesticide residues in foods, and all of the additive ingredients used in the EU.

Up to now EFSA has completed a total of 55 peer-reviews of pesticides, and is working on a lot more, Geslain-Lanéelle said.

EFSA is also looking at proposed temporary EU maximum residue levels for pesticides in foods, in the interim.

The safety to food additives are also high on EFSA's agenda. EFSA is currently assessing about 700 additives and 2,800 flavourings.

As a matter of priority EFSA is examining a recent report by the UK Food Standards Agency on the effects of a cocktail of different food colours and hyperactivity in children, she said.

"And there is further work on the horizon with the coming into force of the new legislation on food improving agents and in particular the safety assessment of enzymes used in food production," she said.

To handle the workload EFSA has asked the Commission for permission to create two new panels to replace the existing one dealing with food additives, flavourings and food contact materials.

The panel currently has the highest work load at EFSA. Dividing the work between two new panels will speed up the evaluation process and overall output, she said.

EFSA currently has nine panels and committees. A new department recently created covers scientific co-operation and assistance.

The department will focus on the development of assessment methodologies, data collection, scientific cooperation and emerging risks.

As part of the effort to link up with similar organizations internationally, EFSA in July signed a confidentiality agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration.

EFSA hopes to reach similar agreements with the national food safety authorities of Australia and New Zealand and Japan, as well as cementing its relationship with the World Health Organisation, she said.

"Food safety issues know no boundaries as foods are trading globally the recent problems with melamine brought this problem into sharp focus," Geslain-Lanéelle said.

EFSA is also working with EU organisations and regulators to coordinate research so efforts are not duplicated.

EFSA recently reached agreement on eight co-operation projects, and is working with experts from member states. For example EFSA has initiated projects on cooperation on dealing with emerging risks and on folic acid.

She noted that as risks change EFSA has to assess and adjust its priorities. Since EFSA's inception its scientists have now branched into assessing issues related to nutrition, diet-related diseases and obesity.

The organisation is now working on setting unified reference intake levels for energy, macro- and micronutrients to guide the debate.

EFSA will also provide advice to assist member states in translating nutrient recommendations into actual food-based dietary advice that consumers can follow, she said.

The agency is also examining ways of harmonising food consumption data across the EU. The data will include dietary intake data for adults and children in many categories of foodstuffs.

Most recently, new tasks were assigned to EFSA under the regulation on nutrition and health claims, including the work on setting nutrient profiles.

EFSA is currently holding a two-day meeting, ending today, on nutrient profiling with the participation of international experts. The organization will hold a scientific forum on 20-21 November in Brussels on the issue.

On 22 November EFSA will host a meeting on food safety to debate the future role of EFSA's scientific work in the EU system.

To handle the increased workload, EFSA expects to have reached a staffing level of about 300 by the end of this year. About half of the staff are qualified scientists.

Another 200 independent scientists are active in the risk assessment panels and committee, she said.